If You Can't Sleep
by berrywarbler
Summary: Quinn knew exactly where her keys were-sitting on her dresser. Which meant she had to find somewhere to hang out until her mom came home to let her into her own house.  Faberry focused friend!fic


Quinn showed up at Rachel's house completely unprepared. She had heard her and Mercedes making plans for a sleepover earlier in the day, and was fully prepared for the door to be slammed in her face-after all, she had been a complete bitch to Rachel since day one, but Rachel ushered her inside with a smile.

"I wasn't expecting you," she said as she led the way down to her basement.

"I hope it's all right that I came," Quinn replied, glancing around. She had expected it to just be Rachel and Mercedes, but Kurt, Brittany, and Tina were there too. She gave a small wave and Tina moved over in their little circle to make room for Quinn.

"Of course, the more the merrier," Rachel chirped, resuming her place between Kurt and Brittany. "We were just doing our nails and talking about National's," she filled Quinn in, and Quinn nodded as Mercedes offered her the nail polish remover.

"Rachel was talking about National's," Mercedes interjected, "But if you have anything more interesting and less stressful to talk about, please bring it up." Quinn smiled, shrugging her shoulders.

"No, not particularly."

"How are things going with you and Blaine?" Tina asked Kurt quickly, before Rachel could open her mouth to discuss potential song ideas some more.

"They're wonderful," Kurt replied smoothly, not giving any more details.

"They're pretty much the perfect couple," Rachel vouched from his side.

"We are not perfect, we are just as flawed as say-you and Jesse, or Finn and Quinn," Kurt offered. Quinn made a face but quickly disguised it, no one had known about Finn's break up the previous afternoon, and Quinn didn't want to offer up that information with Rachel right there.

"Jesse and I are not dating," Rachel informed them, Mercedes snorting in response.

"You may as well be, that boy is in love with you and you're clearly in love with him."

"We're not dating," Rachel re-iterated.

"I think you should," Quinn offered sincerely. The more time she had to deal with her break up before Finn and Rachel inevitably got back together again, the more she could convince herself she was over it. Over Finn, over her complete loss of self and identity. After all, losing Finn was the last thing she really had holding on to her past life. Before she got pregnant and quit the Cheerio's and joined Glee.

Kurt raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything, and the group got unusually quiet. Finally Brittany, in a style they had gotten quite used to over the past two years, announced that Lord Tubbington had found a wife.

"She lives next door," Brittany prattled on as they listened with detached interest. "But he'll sit in my window and sing to her late at night when she walks by my house. "

"He sings?" Tina asked, and Brittany nodded enthusiastically.

"He must have been listening to me practice for my solo at Nationals."

"You didn't even audi-"

"So, tell us more about Blaine!" Mercedes interrupted Rachel, shooting her a look to shut her up. Kurt smiled and obliged, sending the girls into fits of giggles as he described his boyfriend.

* * *

><p>Quinn really only needed somewhere to stay for a few hours, she knew her mother would be home eventually. She wasn't even sure why she didn't grab her house keys when she left that morning for school, but she must have forgotten them since the house was deserted and locked by the time she got home. She could have gone to Santana's, but she had been wrapped up in her own drama and Quinn wanted to stay out of that shit storm if she could.<p>

"You didn't bring any pajama's, did you?" Rachel asked a couple hours later when they were all settling in to watch some old movies. Quinn shook her head in response, and Rachel sighed, holding out her hand. "Come on, we'll find you something that's more comfortable."

Quinn followed her up the two flights of stairs, trying to force herself to tell Rachel it was fine, she should really get going anyways. But the truth was, she was enjoying herself. A lot more than she thought she would too. It was relaxing just being a part of the girl talk, watching crappy movies and singing along, dishing about boys. No one brought up Finn, knowing it was a sore subject between Rachel and Quinn. She almost admitted to their break up, but seeing the sheer joy that was sure to cover Rachel's face kept her quiet.

"I know we give you a hard time Rachel," Quinn started, sitting on the bed as Rachel shuffled through drawers trying to find something that would fit. "But you really are a great person."

"Thank you Quinn," Rachel responded, pulling out an old teeshirt-Quinn was half surprised, she didn't know Rachel even _owned _teeshirts. "That means a lot, especially coming from you."

"Yes, well. You're a better person than I am," Quinn admitted quietly. Rachel stopped her searching and looked at her.

"Are you okay Quinn?" Rachel asked sincerely.

Quinn took a deep breath. "Not really," she replied, glancing towards the corners of the room, anywhere but the short brunette who was still staring at her.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she offered, going back to her search.

"Not really," Quinn repeated, and Rachel didn't press on which surprised her. After a moment Rachel popped back up from the bottom drawer, holding out a pair of sweat pants that-again, Quinn was surprised were even in her wardrobe. Rachel was full of surprises.

"I'll be in the kitchen making popcorn if you need anything else," Rachel told her, giving Quinn a small smile.

Quinn let her get to the door before it burst out of her, the words "Finn broke up with me," escaping before she thought too much more about the consequences. "He's still in love with you. I don't think he ever loved me like he loves you. And he broke up with me for you."

Rachel turned around slowly, and Quinn looked down, too defeated to look her in the eyes. "I'm so sorry Quinn," Rachel said quietly. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I just have so much stress," Quinn broke down, the wall in her head that usually stopped her from telling anyone her problems crumbling in front of the one girl she never thought she'd ever open up to. "My mom is barely around, even with the divorce. My father still refuses to acknowledge that he even has a second daughter. Puck has barely talked to me since Beth was born, and then there's the whole _I had a baby and gave her away _thing. It tears me apart sometimes, but it was my choice-and it was the right choice, I know. But I gave away a part of me. And that hurts. And then I couldn't choose between Finn or Sam and hurt both of them, hurt you. And I guess Finn breaking up with me for you is just the karma I get for choosing Finn over Sam in the first place," she blurted out.

Rachel didn't talk, instead came over and hugged Quinn. Quinn was shocked at the sudden contact, but let herself hug Rachel back, completely breaking down as the tears started to fall. "It'll be okay," Rachel whispered, rubbing her back softly. Quinn couldn't stop crying though, she had done nothing to deserve this kindness, and yet Rachel was here being a real friend for her. A friend like Quinn had never really had. Brittany and Santana were more like lackeys, and most of the time they were off by themselves whispering in corners. Mercedes had come through for her when she was pregnant, but during the summer they had drifted apart. But Rachel had always been there to lend a helping hand, even when it was against her, even when Quinn was a complete bitch to her.

"Thank you," Quinn finally said a few minutes later, and Rachel grabbed a tissue for her so she could blow her nose.

"I know I can't help with most of your problems, and I'm sure you don't want them spread about the club, so I'll keep my mouth shut for you. And I want you to know that if Finn and I ever do get back together, I wouldn't do it to hurt you. But you were right earlier. I should try with Jesse again. He was good to me for the most part, and he's less of a conflict between us."

"I should go change," Quinn said a moment later when the tears had finally subsided. Rachel smiled at her, patting her arm and nodding.

"I'll be downstairs. We've probably missed half the movie by now, good thing I've seen it so often I have it memorized," she said, wandering back into the hall and down the stairs. Quinn stood where she was for a minute longer, regaining her composure. She felt slightly better, letting everything out to someone. She may have only come to Rachel's because she was stranded, but she was staying because for the first time in a long time, she felt like she was really friends with people.


End file.
